FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Lexi Thompson nearly got blown over to start the third round of the KPMG Women's PGA Championship, with a top and a shank on the way to a triple bogey on the opening hole in windy conditions Saturday. She finished the day tied for third place.
After hitting her tee shot into the fairway on the 517-yard par-5 first hole, a 207-yard drive into wind gusting to around 30 mph, Thompson topped her second shot that went only 117 yards. She then shanked her third shot to the right into a thick native area and the ball was never found.
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Lexi Thompson prepares to putt on the 15th hole during the third round of the Women's PGA Championship golf tournament Saturday, June 21, 2025, in Frisco, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Lexi Thompson watcher her tee shot on the sixth hole during the third round of the Women's PGA Championship golf tournament Saturday, June 21, 2025, in Frisco, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Lexi Thompson looks for her ball after an errant shot on the first hole during the third round of the Women's PGA Championship golf tournament Saturday, June 21, 2025, in Frisco, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Lexi Thompson lines up a putt on the 18th hole during the second round of the Women's PGA Championship golf tournament Friday, June 20, 2025, in Frisco, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Asked after her round of 3-over 75 if the wind had her off balance for that second shot, Thompson said she just `full topped the ball" and doesn't even know what happened on the next shot that resulted in the lost ball.
“It was just compounded,” she said. "I mean it was windy. Don’t get me wrong, it was blowing me. But I don’t know if that was the excuse for the top, but we can go with it if you want.”
Thompson also had a bogey on the second hole, but had only one more bogey along with two birdies the rest of the way to put her at 1-over 217, seven strokes behind leader Minjee Lee.
“With the start, I'll definitely take it. It was just a tough day with that wind. Tough and long,” she said. “Overall a lot of positives to take from the day with my start being 4 over through two. Happy I stayed strong and put a good round together.”
The semi-retired Thompson, playing for only the seventh time in 16 tournaments this season, won her only major in the 2014 Kraft Nabisco Championship. After a 2-under 70 on Friday, she went into the third round of the Women's PGA in fourth place in and four strokes behind Jeeno Thitikul, the No. 2-ranked player in the world who shot 76 Saturday and is now trailing Lee by four.
Thompson's 13 top-five finishes in majors since 2013 are the most by any player and among her 20 top-10 finishes in those events.
AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
Lexi Thompson prepares to putt on the 15th hole during the third round of the Women's PGA Championship golf tournament Saturday, June 21, 2025, in Frisco, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Lexi Thompson watcher her tee shot on the sixth hole during the third round of the Women's PGA Championship golf tournament Saturday, June 21, 2025, in Frisco, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Lexi Thompson looks for her ball after an errant shot on the first hole during the third round of the Women's PGA Championship golf tournament Saturday, June 21, 2025, in Frisco, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Lexi Thompson lines up a putt on the 18th hole during the second round of the Women's PGA Championship golf tournament Friday, June 20, 2025, in Frisco, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Los Angeles Chargers (11-5) at Denver (13-3)
Sunday, 4:25 EST, CBS.
BetMGM NFL Odds: Broncos by 12 1/2.
Against the spread: Chargers 8-7-1; Broncos 6-9-1.
Series record: Broncos lead 72-58-1.
Last meeting: Chargers beat Broncos 23-20 on Sept. 21, 2025, in Inglewood, California.
Last week: Chargers lost to Texans 20-16; Broncos beat Chiefs 20-13.
Chargers offense: overall (12), rush (12), pass (15), scoring (T-16).
Chargers defense: overall (4), rush (9), pass (6), scoring (7).
Broncos offense: overall (9), rush (19), pass (9), scoring (14).
Broncos defense: overall (3), rush (2), pass (8), scoring (4).
Turnover differential: Chargers plus-4 ; Broncos minus-5.
QB Trey Lance is making his sixth career start and first for the Chargers. He's appeared in three games this season, completing 7 of 13 passes for 90 yards with no touchdowns, no interceptions and two sacks.
WR Courtland Sutton surpassed 1,000 yards last week, but he dropped a touchdown pass and caught just four of the 10 passes Bo Nix threw his way. Sutton has 73 receptions for 1,012 yards and seven TDs this season, a similar output to last year when he caught 81 passes for 1,081 yards and eight TDs.
The Chargers offensive line and backup QB versus Denver's dominant pass rush. The Broncos have had a franchise-record and NFL-best 64 sacks so far and are within striking distance of the NFL record of 72 set by the 1984 Chicago Bears, who had a dozen in their season finale that year.
Chargers: Coach Jim Harbaugh said he's sitting QB Justin Herbert (left hand) for the finale along with several other starters. Rookie RB Omarion Hampton (ankle) missed practice time this week as did CB Nikko Reed (hamstring) and OL Jamaree Salyer (hamstring). Harbaugh said he doesn't expect Salyer to play Sunday.
Broncos: LB Dre Greenlaw has been dealing with a hamstring injury and won't play in the finale. WR Pat Bryant (concussion), TE Nate Adkins (knee) and DL John Franklin-Meyers (hip) were limited in practice this week.
The Chargers have won all three games against Denver and Sean Payton with Jim Harbaugh as head coach. All three have been one-score games.
The Chargers clinched a playoff berth for the second straight season, the first time that's happened since they reached the postseason four consecutive times from 2006-09. ... The Bolts are coming off a 20-16 loss to Houston in which they were 2 of 5 in the red zone while the defense allowed a pair of rare long touchdown passes to open the game. K Cameron Dicker missed a field goal from inside 40 yards for the first time in his career and pulled an extra point wide for the first time this season. ... The Chargers are the only team that's unbeaten (5-0) in the AFC West this season. ... RB Omarion Hampton has a touchdown in three of his past four games. ... WR Quentin Johnston is coming off a 98-yard performance in Week 17. ... WR Keenan Allen had seven catches for 65 yards and a touchdown against Denver in Week 3. ... The Broncos were the first team to clinch a playoff spot and can earn the AFC's No. 1 overall seed with a win Sunday. The Broncos won the AFC West for the first time since 2015, ending the Kansas City Chiefs' nine-year reign atop the division. ... Broncos QB Bo Nix is tied for the second-most victories over the first two seasons at his position with 23. With a win Sunday, he'll tie Russell Wilson's NFL record of 24 wins in his first two seasons. ... Nix needs one TD pass to become the fourth QB in NFL history with at least 25 in each of his first two seasons. ... Nix is the third player ever, joining Herbert and Peyton Manning, with 3,500-plus passing yards and 25 or more TD passes in each of his first two NFL seasons. ... RB RJ Harvey leads rookies with a dozen TDs this season. He's scored a TD in five consecutive games. ... LB Nik Bonitto had two sacks in Week 3 against the Chargers.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
Los Angeles Chargers tight end Oronde Gadsden (86) celebrates his touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)
Denver Broncos linebacker Alex Singleton reacts during the second half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, in Kansas City. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton (8) celebrates his touchdown with quarterback Justin Herbert (10) during the second half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)
